My fascination with the Countess continues

Haha!  The first book I finish in 2015 is a fictionalized text telling the story of Countess Elizabeth Bathory, DANDELIONS IN THE GARDEN by Charlie Courtland.  Awesome!  I accept that much of the parts of this version are completely made up by Ms. Courtland for the sake of fictionalized literature, but considering the fact that much of what we know about the Countess is not actually KNOWN anyway, it is always interesting to read what new authors think happened with the Countess.  I am absolutely fascinated by Elizabeth Bathory.  Her story is one that draws me like a moth to a flame.  I can't explain what it is about her that is so incredibly fascinating since so many of the details of her story are so incredibly gruesome, but I the fact remains that I am.  I don't know the exact number of books I have or that I have read concerning the Countess, but I would guess that this one is no less than the 5th fictionalized version not to mention the ones I have and/or have read that are based on actual accounts--as historians have the information from legal and historical documents to share.  I have watched the movies about her that I have been able to get a hold of.  Many of the movies about her are foreign films which makes watching them difficult.

Did you know that you can buy things like mouse pads, coffee

mugs, light switches, and other such trinkets with images of the real Elizabeth Bathory?  I've never gone that far in my fascination with her, but I do find it absolutely fascinating that things like that are available for those who want to buy them.  Oh, and there is even a wine in honor of her!  Apparently you can even go visit her castle and stay in a hotel in the village where they serve food and wine dedicated to the Countess' infamous legend.

Personally, I think what draws us more than anything is not just the blood and gore associated with her, but the fact that there are so many different legends that it is difficult to determine what is fact and what is fiction.  It does seem to be a consensus that the Countess Elizabeth Bathory murdered MANY young women--quite a few of them virgins--and murdered them in gruesome ways, quite often torturing the young women hideously prior to their deaths.  Some texts say that she killed only about 200 while others say that she killed more than 600 girls.  Since I also believe that Elizabeth had a violent temper and that she could fly into a rage faster than a you can shoo a fly, I do believe that the number of murdered girls was a high one.  

Of course my fascination will continue as I begin reading the 2nd book in Ms. Courtland's series called THE HIDDEN WILL OF THE DRAGON.  I am sure that these books will not be the last ones I read about the fascinating Countess!  

Here a few links in case you want to read a little more about her for yourself.

http://www.infamouslady.com/

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/bathorys-torturous-escapades-are-exposed

http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/21/travel/blood-countess-slovakia/

The Bloody Countess

I am absolutely fascinated by the Countess Bathory.  Ever since I first heard about her about 2 or 3 years ago, she has fascinated me.  My husband had had trouble sleeping one night, so he had watched some tv while he was awake.  He watched this show about this woman who had murdered young virgins to use their blood so she could look and feel young.  My husband told me about the show and I have been obsessed with Erzebet Bathory ever since.  I now own several books about her, both fiction and nonfiction.  This little book tells the essential story in an overview but with enough detail that anyone new to the Countess will understand the whole story. 

I wish I knew what was so fascinating about a woman serial killer such as the Countess.  She is probably the most horrific woman ever to have lived--that we know about, but yet I can't get enough information about her--who she was and what she did.  And how she did it. 

What fascinates me more than anything else about the Countess is that Bram Stoker did know about her when he wrote his wonderful novel DRACULA.  He had planned on using her in his novel, but it just didn't work out.  In his notes for a sequel, she played a major role.  That sequel was written recently by a great-great-great (I can't remember how many greats) newphew of Bram Stoker and the Countess plays a central role to the story as a whole.  It's wonderful! 

If you want a quick overview of who the Countess is, this little book is a nice, quick, easy, but thorough read.

The Bloody Countess by Amber Holbrook